Method of operating apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method of operating apparatus to treat with a hardenable liquid adhesive material a plurality of cores each having a winding means with a pair of opposite end turn groupings thereon. An endless conveyor is operable with discrete intermittent movement to dispose a plurality of spindles for carrying the cores in a plurality of preselected indexed positions. In some of these indexed positions, the liquid adhesive material is dispensed onto the opposite end turns of the winding means on the cores carried by the spindles which are rotated while in the some preselected indexed positions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS AND APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the following commonly assigned U.S.patent applications Ser. No. 563,765 filed Dec. 21, 1983 (now U.S. Pat.No. 4,485,126 issued Nov. 27, 1984), U.S. patent application Ser. No.563,766 filed Dec. 21, 1983 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 627,824filed July 5, 1984; and each of the aforementioned commonly assignedapplications is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to cores adapted for use in adynamoelectric machine and in particular to methods of operatingapparatus for treating the cores.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the past, various apparatus and methods were employed to treatdynamoelectric machine cores, such as a stator or the like for instance,and the windings thereof with a hardenable liquid adhesive material inorder to obtain a strong and more uniform bond of either the windings ofsuch cores or both such cores and the windings thereof.

In one of the past methods of treating the winding means associated withthe above discussed past stator when the laminations thereof werefixedly interconnected together, such as by welding or cleating forinstance as previously mentioned, the stator and winding means werebaked or preheated to a preselected temperature sufficient to at leastpreanneal the winding means, and while at such an elevated temperature,the stator core and winding means were fully submersed or dipped into abath of the liquid adhesive material. When later removed from the liquidadhesive material bath, the stator and winding means were transferred toa curing oven to be rebaked or reheated to effect the curing of theliquid adhesive material which had adhered to the stator core andwinding means. In some instances, the stator and winding means may havebeen further redipped and rebaked. Of course, while the cured liquidadhesive material on the opposite end turn portions of the coils mayhave added some degree of rigidity thereto, it is believed that one ofthe disadvantageous or undesirable features of such past treatmentmethod was that the stator slots may not have been adequately filledwith the liquid adhesive material during the dipping of the stator sothat the opposite side turn portions of the coils within the statorslots may not have been adequately saturated or encapsulated by theliquid adhesive material when cured. As a result, it is believed thatthe strength of the winding means in the stator may have been impairedand also that the opposite side turn portions of the coils may not havebeen rigidly contained within the stator slots. Further, it is alsobelieved that another disadvantageous or undesirable feature of the pasttreatment method may have involved

*- 3 03-HM-5889 the loss, such as by dripping or the like for instance,of liquid adhesive material from the winding means during the transferof the stator and winding means from the liquid adhesive material bathto a curing oven for baking, and it is also believed that such loss ofliquid adhesive material may have created voids between the intersticesof at least the opposite end turn portions of the coils serving toweaken them. Thus, it is also believed that when the winding means wereenergized in a dynamoelectric machine, the opposite end turn portionsand opposite side turn portions of the coils may have been movable inresponse to such energization to an extent wherein the insulationthereon was worn or rubbed away causing short circuits in such windingmeans. Still another disadvantageous or undesirable feature of the pasttreatment method is believed to be that it may have been necessary towipe excess liquid adhesive material from the opposite end faces and theperipheral or circumferential surface therebetween of the stator coreprior to baking the stator and winding means to cure the liquid adhesivematerial therebn. A still further disadvantageous or undesirable featureof the past treatment method is believed to be that the insulatingsleeves on the lead ends of the winding means may have had to beprotected against contact with the liquid adhesive material in the baththereof during the dipping of the stator and winding means. Stillanother disadvantageous or undesirable feature of the past treatmentmethod is believed to be that there may not have been sufficientdistribution of the liquid adhesive material throughout the windingmeans and also between the interfaces of the laminations of the core, aswell as an evenness of such distribution, so as to deleteriously affectthe strength of the core upon the bonding thereof.

In another of the past methods of treating the winding means of abovediscussed past stator when the laminations thereof the were bondedtogether by a bolt-down bonding process, as previously mentioned and astaught for instance in Bobbie B. Hull, U.S. Pat. Re. 26,788 issued Feb.10, 1970 to Bobbie B. Hull which is incorporated herein by reference,only the opposite end turns of the coils were dipped in the bath of theliquid adhesive material prior to baking to effect the cure of theliquid adhesive material. Although this past method of treating thewinding means of such past bolt-down bonded stator undoubtedly had manysalient features, it is believed that such past method may have had atleast some of the same disadvantageous or undesirable features as thepreviously discussed past treating method.

Another typical past stator of the loose wound type was formed withloosely stacked laminations having the stator slots thereof maintainedgenerally in alignment by the slot liners disposed in the stator slots,and the winding means were associated with this loose lamination stackgenerally in the same manner as discussed hereinabove. One of the pasttreating methods for this loose wound stator or core involved mountingan aligning mandrel or the like for instance in the bore of the looselamination stack, and thereafter baking, fully or completely dipping,and then rebaking the loose wound stator generally in the same manner asdiscussed hereinabove. Of course, in this instance, it is believed thatfor the most part, the liquid adhesive material may have flowed bycapillary action from the outer circumferential surface of the statorbetween the interfacing laminations of the loose stack thereof so as tobond the laminations and the winding means together when the loose woundstator was rebaked to effect the curing of the liquid adhesive material;however, it is also believed that some of the liquid adhesive materialmay have been transferred from the slots of the stator by capillaryaction between the interfacing laminations of the loose stack thereof.Nevertheless, it is believed that this past method of treating the loosewound stator had at least generally the same disadvantageous orundesirable features as the previously discussed past treating methods.

Still another past method of treating a loose wound stator or coreinvolved the bolt down bonding process as shown in Bernard J. Pleiss,Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,846 issued July 2, 1974. In this past method, aplurality of bolts are extended through bolt holes provided therefor inthe loose lamination stack of the loose wound stator so as to mount anopposite end face thereof against a bolt-down fixture. Thus, upontorquing of the bolts, the laminations of the loose stack thereof wereforced or clamped together by the bolts generally in the vicinity of thebolt hole thereby to establish generally axial compression regionsgenerally adjacent the bolt holes between the opposite end faces of theloose wound stator. When so mounted to the bolt-down fixture, the loosewound stator was preheated and then dipped into the bath of the liquidadhesive material to a depth submersing the lamination stack but not oneof the opposite end turn portions of the coils adjacent the lead endsthereof. Thus, the one opposite end turn portions of the coils adjacentthe lead ends thereof were not dipped, but liquid adhesive material waslater applied thereto. Since the bore of the loose wound stator wasmounted on the alignment mandrel, as previously mentioned, it isbelieved that for the most part liquid adhesive material may havepenetrated by capillary action from the outer circumferential surface ofthe lamination stack between the interfacing laminations thereof so asto cover the interfacing surfaces thereof without regard to the clampingof the bolts or the axial compression regions established thereby;however, it is believed that some of the liquid adhesive material mayhave been transferred from the slots of the stator by capillary actionbetween the interfacing laminations of the stack thereof. Thereafter,the loose wound core mounted to the bolt-down fixture was transferred toa curing oven to be baked and effect the curing of the liquid adhesivematerial adhering to the lamination stack and the winding means which,as previously mentioned, served to bond them together. Nevertheless, itis believed that this past method of treating the loose wound core hasat least generally the same disadvantageous or undesirable features asthe previously discussed past treating methods.

In yet another past method of treating the winding means of the abovediscussed past stator core in which the laminations were fixedlyinterconnected together, such as by welding, bonding or cleating forinstance, as previously mentioned, the stator core was rotated in onlyone direction with the bore of the stator extending generallyhorizontally. During the rotation of the stator in only the onedirection, the liquid adhesive material was dripped or trickled onto theopposite end turn portions of the coils of the winding means associatedwith the stator and flowed therefrom generally along the opposite sideturn portions of the coils into the stator slots in which the oppositeside turn portions of the coils were received. However, one of thedisadvantageous or undesirable features of this past treating method isbelieved to be that because the stator was rotated in only the onedirection, some of the slots of the stator were starved, i.e., notadequately filled, with the liquid adhesive material flowed thereinto.For instance, due to the rotation of the stator in only the onedirection, it is believed that a greater amount of the liquid adhesivematerial dripped onto the opposite end turn portions of the coils flowedtherefrom generally along one of the opposite side turn portions of thecoils into the stator slots in which the one opposite side turn portionsof the coils were received while a lesser amount of the liquid adhesivematerial flowed generally along the other of the opposite side turnportions of the coils into the slots of the stator in which the otheropposite side turn portions of the coils were received thereby, ineffect, serving to starve such stator slots in which the other oppositeside turn portions of the coils were received of an equal liquidadhesive material fill. In other words, due to the rotation of thestator in only the one direction, it is believed that the dripped liquidadhesive material had a gravitational tendency to flow "downhill" on theopposite end turn portions of the coils, i.e., in the direction ofrotation of the stator, and then along the one opposite side turnportions of the coils into the stator slots receiving them, but theliquid adhesive material was at least inhibited with respect to flow"uphill" on the opposite end turn portions of the coils, i.e., againstthe rotation of the stator in only the one direction; therefore, it isbelieved that the stator slots in which the other opposite side turnportions of the coils were received were generally starved of the liquidadhesive material, i.e., received the lesser amount of the liquidadhesive material dripped onto the opposite end turn portions of thecoils in response to the rotation of the stator in only the onedirection.

Of course, it is believed that the methods taught in the disclosure ofthe aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,485,126 and 4,559,698 overcome theabove discussed disadvantageous features of some of the past methods oftreating cores and winding means thereof which involved inadequatefilling of core slots with the liquid adhesive material dispensed ontothe windings of such core as well as inadequate bonding of a looselamination core.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted theprovision of improved methods of operating apparatus whick at least inpart overcome the above discussed disadvantageous or undesirablefeatures of the other prior art discussed hereinabove; the provision ofsuch improved methods in which discrete intermittent movements of anendless conveyor means between a plurality of preselected indexedpositions defined in a predetermined course thereof are accuratelyeffected and controlled; the provision of such improved methods in whichthe rotational speeds of spindles carried by the endless conveyor meansare maintained generally constant upon the advancement of such spindlesthrough some of the preselected indexed positions; the provision of suchimproved methods in which the discrete intermittent movements of thespindles between the some preselected indexed positions is compensatedthereby to maintain the rotational speeds of the spindles generallyconstant; the provision of such improved methods in which generallyconjoint increases and decreases in the rotational speeds of differentones of the spindles is effected to maintain the generally constantrotational speed; and the provision of such methods in which thedispensing of the liquid adhesive material at any one of the somepreselected indexed positions is automatically obviated upon thepresentation of a spindle without a core disposed thereon at the any oneof the some preselected indexed positions. These as well as otherobjects and advantageous features of the present invention will be inpart apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In general, a method is provided in one form of the invention foroperating apparatus having an endless conveyor means adapted fordiscrete intermittent movements through a predetermined course thereforwith a preselected dwell period between each discrete intermittentmovement thereof and also having at least a pair of sets of means spacedapart from each other in the predetermined course of the endlessconveyor means and operable generally for driving it. In practicing thismethod, a part of each driving means is actuated into couplingengagement with confronting parts of the endless conveyor means duringthe preselected dwell period thereof, and the driving means are operatedat least generally conjointly to effect the discrete intermittentmovements of the endless conveyor means only when the driving meansparts are in the coupling engagement thereof with the confronting partsof the endless conveyor means, respectively.

Also in general and in one form of the invention, a method is providedfor operating apparatus adapted to treat with a hardenable liquidadhesive material a plurality of cores each having a winding means witha pair of opposite end turn groupings thereon. The apparatus includes atleast one set of means for carrying the cores with the carrying meanshaving a plurality of preselected indexed positions, and a pair of setsof means arranged at some of the preselected indexed positions of thecarrying means and operable generally for dispensing the liquid adhesivematerial delivered thereto, respectively. In practicing this method, acore is disposed on at least some of the carrying means, and thecarrying means is moved successively through the preselected indexedpositions thereof, respectively. The dispensing means sets are operatedto dispense the liquid adhesive material delivered thereto onto theopposite end turn groupings of the winding means of the cores disposedon the at least some carrying means upon the movement thereof into atleast some of the some preselected indexed positions, and the operationof any one of the dispensing means sets is obviated at any one of the atleast some of the some indexed positions upon the movement thereinto ofany one of the carrying means without a core disposed thereon,respectively.

Further in general, a method is provided in one form of the inventionfor operating apparatus adapted to selectively deliver a preselectedvolume of a hardenable liquid adhesive material from a set of means forpumping the liquid adhesive material to a set of means for dispensingthe liquid adhesive material. The pumping means includes chamber meansfor the liquid adhesive material, means reciprocally movable in thechamber means and operable generally for displacing the preselectedamount of the liquid adhesive material therefrom, and a set of latchingmeans for releasably securing the displacing means to a means operablegenerally for driving them, respectively. In practicing this method, thedriving means is operated, and at least generally conjointly thedisplacing means are driven thereby within the chamber means of thepumping means so as to deliver the preselected amount of the liquidadhesive material from the pumping means to the dispensing means. Thereleasable securement of any one of the latching means with the drivingmeans and any one of the displacing means is interrupted in response tothe occurrence of a preselected condition, and thereby the operation ofthe any one displacing means is obviated, respectively.

Still further in general and in one form of the invention, a method isprovided for operating apparatus having an endless conveyor means forcarrying a plurality of spindles rotatably associated therewith througha plurality of preselected indexed positions in a predetermined coursefor the endless conveyor means. In practicing this method, the endlessconveyor means is driven with discrete intermittent movements throughits predetermined course, and the spindles are advanced therebysuccessively between the preselected indexed positions thereof in thepredetermined course of the endless conveyor means, respectively. Someof the spindles are rotated in one direction and some others of thespindles in another direction opposite the one direction in at least onesection of the predetermined course of the endless conveyor means, andthe rotational speeds of the some spindles and the some other spindlesare adjusted to maintain the rotational speeds thereof generallyconstant and compensate thereby for the discrete intermittent movementsof the endless conveyor means, respectively.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B, when fitted together on Match Line A, show a sideelevational view of apparatus with means for dispensing a hardenableliquid adhesive material onto cores at a dispensing station of theapparatus broken away for clarity and further illustrate principleswhich may be employed in practicing a method of operating the apparatusin one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. lA;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken from FIG. 1A showingdetails of the apparatus at the leftward end thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along line 5--5 ofFIG. 1B;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from FIG. 5 andillustrating the coupling of shafts and spindles of the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken from FIG. 1B showingdetails of the apparatus at the upper rightward end thereof;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken along line 9--9 inFIG. lA;

FIG. 10 is a partial section view taken along line 10--10 in FIG. 9 andillustrating the arrangement of a plurality of infrared heating lamps asdisposed in an elongate heating chamber or tunnel of the apparatus;

FIG. 11 is a right side elevational view taken from FIG. 5 showingindexing means of the apparatus with the tunnel of the apparatus brokenaway for clarity;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12--12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing a system of chain drives utilized toeffect preselected rotational movements of the shafts and spindles ofthe apparatus;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged side elevational view taken from FIG. 1B withpart of the apparatus broken away to illustrate the driving associationof some of the chain drives of FIG. 13 with sprockets provided thereforon the shafts of the apparatus;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15--15 of FIG. 1B at thedispensing station of the apparatus;

FIG. 16 is a partial sectional view taken along line 16--16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a partial sectional view taken along line 17--17 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the dispensing means for the apparatus at thedispensing station thereof;

FIG. 19 is a partial sectional view taken along line 19--19 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a partial left side elevational view of the dispensing meansof FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 21--21 of FIG.18;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view taken along line 22--22 of FIG. 21; and

FIGS. 23A, 23B and 23C are schematic views of a hydraulic circuit forthe apparatus with FIG. 23A also showing certain electrical controlstherefor.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The exemplifications set out herein illustrate the preferred embodimentsof the invention in one form thereof, and such exemplifications are notto be construed as limiting either the scope of the disclosure or thatof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention is herein described particularly as it relates to thetreatment of dynamoelectric machine cores, such as stators or the likefor instance, and if a more detailed discussion concerning theconstruction of such cores or the treatment thereof with a liquidadhesive material is desired, reference may be had to the aforesaid U.S.Pat. Nos. 4,485,126 and 4,559,698 As shown in the aforesaid patents andas illustrated for purposes of disclosure in FIGS. 10 and 15 hereof, acore 23, which may be of the so-called loose wound type is provided witha plurality of interfacing lamination surfaces interposed between a pairof opposite end faces 27, 29 of the core, a bore 67 extending generallyaxially through the core and intersecting with the opposite end faces ofthe core, and a plurality of slot means 31 intersecting with both thebore and the opposite end faces of the core for receiving winding means21, respectively. Winding means 23 for core 21 includes a plurality ofsets of coils 33 formed of a magnet wire having an insulating coatingthereon, each coil having at least one conductor turn 35 with oppositeside turn portions 37, 39 of the coils received in the slot means of thecore and with opposite end turn portions of the coils arranged ingenerally opposite annular end turn groupings 45, 47 thereof about thebore adjacent the opposite end faces of the core, respectively. Whilecore 23 is illustrated herein for purposes of disclosure, it isunderstood that the and methods of the instant invention may be utilizedto treat various types of cores (including rotor cores) having differentconstructions, shapes, stack heights and winding configurations withinthe scope of the invention so as to meet at least some of the objectsthereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, apparatus 69 is shown to comprise anendless conveyor or conveyor means, designated in its entirety by thereference numeral 71, having a lower generally horizontal reach 73 whichtravels forwardly from left to right as viewed in FIGS. 1A and 1B, anupwardly movable generally vertical end reach 75 (at the right end ofFIG. 1B), an upper generally horizontal return reach 77 which travelsback above the lower reach (it travels from right to left as viewed inFIGS. 1A and 1B), and a downwardly movable generally vertical end reach79 (at the left end of FIG. 1A). For convenience in describing apparatus69 and as indicated in FIG. 2, that side of apparatus 69 and conveyormeans 71 which is at the right as viewed in the direction of downstreammovement of the lower reach in FIG. 2 is referred to as the A side andthe other side is referred to as the B side. "Downstream" is inreference to the direction of forward movement of conveyor means 71(i.e., left to right in lower reach 73, up in end reach 75, right toleft in upper reach 77, and down in end reach 79, as viewed in FIGS. 1Aand 1B). "Upstream" is in reference to the opposite direction.

Conveyor means 71 supports or carries a plurality or set 81A of carryingmeans or spindles 83 spaced at equal intervals thereon extendinggenerally laterally outwardly from the conveyor means at the A sidethereof and another plurality or set 81B of such spindles 83 spaced atequal intervals thereon extending laterally outwardly from the conveyormeans at the B side thereof. While spindles 83 carried by conveyor means71 are illustrated for purposes of disclosure as extending generallyhorizontally therefrom, it is contemplated that such spindles may beslightly angularly disposed with respect to the horizontal, i.e., may benon-vertical within the scope of the invention so as to meet at leastsome of the objects thereof. Each of spindles 83 of each 81A, 81B setsthereof is rotary on its axis relative to conveyor means 71 and isadapted to have a core 23 detachably mounted (loaded) thereon by anysuitable means, such as for instance a chucking means or deviceindicated at 85, adapted to grip the spindle and and maintain the corein a gripped position thereon. Chucking means 85 is shown in FIGS. 10and 15, and if a more detailed discussion of the construction andoperation of the chucking means is desired, reference may be had to theaforesaid U.S. patent application Serial No. 627,824.

Conveyor means 71 comprises a pair or set of what are essentiallyendless chains, a chain 87A at the A side of apparatus 69 and a chain87B at the B side thereof, as indicated in FIG. 3. Each of chains 87A,87B comprises a set or plurality of links each designated 89, as may beseen in FIG. 4, with successive links being pin-connected at theiradjacent opposite ends by suitable means, such as for instance aplurality of tubular pins 91 or the like, and the detail of this tubularpin connection is shown in FIG. 6. A set or plurality of shafts 93 arejournalled by suitable means, such as for instance a plurality ofbearings or the like indicated at 95, associated with tubular pins 91,and the shafts extend through the pins of chain 87A, as illustrated inFIG. 5, across conveyor means 71 and through pins 91 of chain 87B.Tubular pins 91 of each chain 87A, 87B are respectively retained betweena collar 97 on shaft 93 at the inner end of the pin and a combinationcollar and spindle coupling member 99 at the outer end of the shaft.Spindles 83 are secured to coupling members 99 at opposite ends ofshafts 93 in axial alignment with the shafts, as indicated at 101, sothat the spindles are conjointly rotatable with the shafts, and thespindles extend generally axially outwardly from the shafts outsidelinks 89 of chains 87A, 87B, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, there are two hundred eighty-four shafts93, and thus two hundred eighty-four spindles 83 on the A side ofconveyor means 71 and two hundred eighty-four spindles 83 on the B sideof the conveyor means. Referring again to FIG. 6, shafts 93 interconnectchains 87A, 87B and extend generally at right angles to the planes orreaches of the two chains. The adjacent opposite ends of links 89 oneach pin 91 are held against axial movement relative to the pin betweena retainer 102 on the pin and a ball bearing 103, the inner race ofwhich is held against a shoulder 105 on each pin by another retainer 107secured to each pin, respectively. With this arrangement, chains 87A,87B are held generally in parallel spaced apart relation. By way ofexample, the distance between the chain link pin centers and hence thespacing of the spindles 83 may be nine inches, which is sufficient toallow for the mounting or loading onto the spindles of the cores to beprocessed or treated. While the numbers of shafts 93 and spindles 83secured thereto as well as the spacing of the spindles are statedhereinabove for purposes of disclosure, it is contemplated thatdifferent numbers of such shafts and spindles and different spacingsthereof may be utilized within the scope of the invention so as to meetat least some of the objects thereof.

Means, as indicated generally at 109 in FIG. 5, is provided for guidingthe travel of conveyor means 71 to carry spindles 83 in an endless pathor course in a generally vertical or non-horizontal plane at the A sideand the B side of the conveyor means, with these spindles extendinggenerally outwardly at that side, respectively. As best seen in FIGS. 1Aand 1B, conveyor means 71 carries sets 81A, 81B of spindles 83 fortravel in their respective endless path or course defined by that of theconveyor means from a first zone constituting a loading zone 111 at therespective sides of the conveyor means where cores may be loaded(chucked) on the spindles, through a second zone 113 at the respectivesides of the conveyor means wherein the cores and winding means arepreheated before application of the liquid adhesive material, thencethrough a third zone constituting an adhesive applying or dispensingzone 115 at the respective sides of the conveyor means for applicationof the liquid adhesive material to the winding means of the cores,thence through a fourth zone 117 at the respective sides of the conveyormeans wherein the cores are heated or reheated for effecting gelling andsolidification or hardening of the applied liquid adhesive material,thence through a fifth zone constituting a cooling zone 119 at therespective sides of the conveyor means for cooling each core and itswinding means, thence to a sixth zone constituting an unloading zone 121at the respective sides of the conveying means where the cooled coresare taken off the spindles, and thence returning to the loading zone 111at the respective sides of the conveyor means, for repeating theoperation.

Unloading and loading zones or sections 121, 111, preheating zone orsection 113, adhesive applying zone or section 115, and an initial partof reheating zone or section 117 for each set of spindles 83 are inseries along lower reach 73 of conveyor means 71. Reheating zone orsection 117 for each set of spindles 83 starts toward the downstream endof lower reach 73, extends upwardly along end reach 75 and then back forsome distance along upper reach 77. Cooling zone or section 119 for eachset of spindles 83 starts in upper reach 77 toward its downstream endand extends downwardly along end reach 79 thereby to terminate at andjoin with unloading zone 121.

Guide or guiding means 109 for conveyor means 71 comprises a pair ofrollers or rolling means 122, 123 mounted about the outer races of ballbearings 103 on pins 91, and the rollers are rotatable in rolling andguided engagement on rails or tracks 124, 125 which predetermines theaforesaid course of the conveyor means and spindles 83. It may be notedthat the outer circumferential surface of roller 122 is generallycylindric while that of roller 123 is grooved and that thecross-sectional configuration of rails 124, 125 mate with theaforementioned configurations of rollers 122, 123, respectively. In thismanner, grooved roller 123 is guidably received on its mating rail 125thereby to accurately maintain dimensions and locations of spindles 83and shafts 93 with respect to the A side and B side of conveyor means71. Rails 124, 125 are provided for lower reach 73, upper reach 77 andend reaches 75, 79 of conveyor means 71, and suitable means, such asindicated at 127 in FIG. 4, including pivot means 129 may be providedfor pivotally adjusting the rails at end reach 79 for chain tensioningpurposes, as discussed in detail hereinafter.

Unloading zone 121 for each set of spindles 83 is an open zone extendingover a relatively short distance downstream from the upstream end oflower reach 73 of conveyor means 71. As indicated in FIG. 1A, unloadingzone 121 extends for a distance such as to include five spindles.Loading zone 111 for each set of spindles 83 is immediately downstreamfrom unloading zone 121 in lower reach 73 and extends for a distanceencompassing the next five spindles. Preheating zone 113 for each set ofspindles 83 is an enclosed zone along lower reach 73 extending fromloading zone 111 for a major portion of the lower reach, for instance, adistance encompassing one hundred spindles. Application zone 115 foreach set of spindles 83 is an open zone immediately downstream frompreheating zone 113 in lower reach 73, and the application zone extendsa distance encompassing eight spindles. Reheating zone 117 is mostly anenclosed zone starting in lower reach 73 immediately downstream fromapplication zone 115 and including end reach 75 and a major portion ofupper reach 77. Cooling zone 119 extends from the downstream end ofreheating zone 117 generally to unloading zone 121. While conveyor means71 is described hereinabove as having particular zones 111-121 eachhaving a particular length or extent along reaches 73-79 of the conveyormeans for purposes of disclosure, it is contemplated that differenttypes of zones as well as a different number of zones in differentsequences and of different lengths or extents may be employed within thescope of the invention so as to meet at least some of the objectsthereof.

A pair or set of means, as indicated generally at 130, 131 in FIG. 1A,are selectively operable generally concurrently for intermittently orprogressively driving or indexing conveyor means 71 to advance or indexspindles 83 forwardly on each indexing step or operation of the indexingor driving means a preselected index distance which is a whole multipleof the spindle spacing with the spindles dwelling in indexed positionsthereof for a preselected time interval or period between such indexingsteps. Thus, conveyor means 71 and spindles 83 are driven withpreselected intermittent movements through a plurality of preselectedindexed positions in the predetermined course of the conveyor means. Inapparatus 69, the index distance which spindles 83 are moved is twicethe spindle spacing; however, in referring to the index distance being awhole multiple of the spindle spacing, it is intended to cover thesituation where the index distance is equal to the spindle spacing. Itis, of course, understood that the aforesaid preselected index distanceof the conveyor means and spindles is set out herein for purposes ofdisclosure and that various other such preselected index distances maybe employed, as desired, within the scope of the invention so as to meetat least some of the objects thereof. Further, while a pair of indexingmeans 130, 131 each having a pair of drive units 133A, 133B areillustrated herein for purposes of disclosure, it is contemplated thatmore or less of such indexing means may be utilized and that indexingmeans other than those disclosed herein may be utilized within the scopeof the invention so as to meet at least some of the objects thereof.Indexing means 130, 131 each comprise a plurality or set of coupling ordrive units 133A and 133B on the A and B sides of conveyor means 71,respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Indexing means 130 is located atthe downstream end of preheating zone 113 along lower reach 73 ofconveyor means 71 for driving the lower reach forwardly (i.e., from leftto right as viewed in FIGS. 1A and 1B) through the stated indexdistances, and indexing means 131 is located toward the downstream endof upper reach 77 of the conveyor means for driving the upper reachforwardly (i.e., from right to left as viewed in FIGS. 1A and 1B)through the stated index distances. Since drive units 133A, 133B ofindexing means 130, 131 are identical, only the drive unit 133A ofindexing means 130 is described hereinafter and shown in FIGS. 11 and 12for purposes of brevity of disclosure and drawing simplicity. Drive unit133A comprises a hydraulic cylinder 135 having a stroke which equals theindex distance or travel (e.g., eighteen inches) of indexing means 130,131, as previously mentioned, and the hydraulic cylinder is fixed at 137to frame F of apparatus 69 in a position extending in the direction ofmovement of the respective one of lower and upper reaches 73, 77 ofconveyor means 71 with which the drive unit is associated. A piston rod139 extends from a piston 141 in cylinder 135 (see FIG. 23C) through thedownstream rod end of the cylinder and is coupled at 143 to a carriage145 slidable on a pair of guide rods 147 carried by frame F of apparatus69. Carried by carriage 145 is a slide guide 149 in which is slidable acoupler or coupling means 151 having a forked lower end 153 for couplingin engagement, on movement of the coupler from a raised at-rest orretracted position to a lowered coupling or protracted position, with atubular pin 91 of the respective chain of conveyor 71. A cylinder 155for actuating coupler 151 is mounted on carriage 145, this cylinderhaving its piston rod 157 extending from its piston 159 (see FIG. 23C)to a connection with the coupler. The arrangement is such that whenpiston rod 139 of carriage cylinder 135 is retracted, carriage 145occupies a retracted position wherein coupler 151 is above a pin 91 whenconveyor means 71 and spindles 83 are in a preselected indexed positionthereof. When coupler 151 is moved by means of coupler cylinder 155,carriage 145 is coupled to that pin 91, and then upon the extension ofpiston rod 139 from carriage cylinder 135 for its full stroke, pin 91 isdriven forwardly or advanced to effect the indexing of conveyor means 71and spindles 83 through teh stated index distance into teh nextsuccesive preselected indexed position thereof. Carriage 145 is shown inits retarcted position with coupler 151 in engagement with pin 91 infull lines in FIGS. 11 and 12, and in its extended position (also withteh coupler engaged with the pin) in phantom in FIGS. 11 and 12. Havingindexed conveyor means 71 and spindles 83 forwardly one indexing stepthrough the preselected indexed positions as described above, cylinder155 is actuated to disengage coupler 151 from pin 91 with which it wasin engagement, piston rod 139 of cylinder 135 is retracted thereby toretract carriage 145, and then coupler 151 is again moved intoengagement with the next pin 91 of the respective chain of conveyormeans 71. A first bridge 161 across guide rods 147 carries an adjustablestop 163 for carriage 145 determining its advanced or extended position.A second carriage 165 downstream from bridge 161 carries a slide guide167 in which is movable a chain lock or locking means 169 having aforked lower end for coupling or locking in engagement with a pin 91 ondownward movement of the chain lock from a raised at-rest or retractedposition by a hydraulic cylinder 171 mounted on the slide guide whenconveyor means 71 and spindles 83 are in a preselected indexed position.A piston rod 173 of cylinder 171 extends downwardly from its piston 175(see FIG. 23C) to a connection with the upper end of chain lock 169.Thus, indexing means 130 is operable to effect the preselectedintermittent movements of conveyor means 71 and spindles 83 through thepreselected indexed positions thereof only when coupler 151 of driveunit 133A is coupled with a confronting one of pin 91, and both thecoupler and chain lock 169 are coupled with confronting ones of the pinsto accurately maintain the conveyor means and spindles located in thepreselected indexed positions thereof, respectively, with at least thechain lock obviating movement of chain 87A.

Adjacent the downstream end of upper reach 77 of conveyor means 71 thereis provided means, as indicated generally at 175 in FIGS. 7 and 8, forpreventing retrograde movement of the conveyor means. This comprises apair of latches or holding pawls 177, 179 at each A and B side of theconveyor means. Each latch 177 is pivoted, as indicated at 181, on frameF of apparatus 69 for pivotal swinging movement on a transverse axisbelow chains 87A, 87B, and this latch extends in upstream direction frompivot 181 being biased by resilient means, such as a coil compressionspring 183 or the like for instance, toward engagement with tubular pins91 of the respective chain. At its upstream end, latch 177 has anupwardly extending latch finger 185 with a curved downstream edgeengageable by a pin 91 of the respective chain and an inclined cammingedge 187 at its upstream end. The arrangement is such that as the chainis advanced or indexed forwardly (which is toward the left as viewed inFIG. 7), a pin 91 of the chain will engage the camming edge 187 of latch177 and swing the latch about its pivot 181 to allow for theaforementioned indexing of the chain. Each of the other latches 179 ispivoted as indicated at 189 on frame F above upper reach 77 of conveyormeans 71 and gravity-biased for the engagement of its lower end 191 withshafts 93, and latches 179 have a finger 193 extending in downstreamdirection adapted to bear on top of a shaft.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be observed that with conveyor means 71 andspindles 83 at rest in a preselected indexed position thereof during adwell period of the conveyor means, the spindles of the 81A, 81B setsthereof are situated at two hundred and forty-eight spindle stations orpreselected indexed positions spaced at equal intervals all around theendless predetermined course of the conveyor means in which the spindlesmove. These preselected indexed positions of spindles 83 may be referredto as stations Sl-S248, starting with the first spindle in lower reach73 of conveyor means 71. Spindles 83 at stations Sl-S4 are in unloadingzone 121, and those at stations S5-S8 are in loading zone 111. Eachpreheating zone 113 starts between stations S10 and Sll and extends to apoint between stations S110 and Slll. As above noted and as may be seenin FIGS. 3 and 10, each preheating zone 113 is an enclosed zonecomprising an elongate chamber or tunnel 195 of rectangular crosssection having inside and outside walls 197, 199 with a top wall 201 anda bottom wall 203 interposed therebetween. Each chamber or tunnel 195extends alongside or about the respective chains 87A, 87B on the outsidethereof. Inside wall 197 of tunnel 195 has a spindle receiving slot 205extending from end-to-end thereof generally at the level of the spindlesalong lower reach 73 of the respective chains. Spindles 83 in lowerreach 73 throughout the length of the first heating tunnel 195, i.e.,from station Sll to station S110, extend laterally outwardly from therespective chain into the tunnel, and the opposite ends of the tunnelare open for entry of the spindles with cores thereon from station S10into the tunnel and exit of the spindles with the cores thereon from thetunnel at station S110 into adhesive application zone 115. Asillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 10, a plurality of strips 207 of suitableheat insulation material, for instance, such as that sold under theGeneral Electric Company trademark TEXTOLITE®, are carried betweenadjacent ones of spindles 83 in the 81A, 81B sets thereof in conveyormeans 71 and such strips closely extend or are provided along slot 205in the inside wall 197 of tunnel 195 exteriorly thereof not only toreduce emission of heat from the tunnel through the slot but also toprotect bearings 95 and 103 from such heat. As seen in FIG. 9, heatingmeans, such as a plurality of infrared lamps 209 or the like forinstance, is provided along the length of tunnel 195 for heating cores23 on spindles 83 as they dwell in the tunnel at stations Sll-S60 and asthey are indexed through the tunnel. The arrangement is preferably suchthat as cores 23 on spindles 83 progress from station Sll to stationS60, they are brought up to a preselected temperature within apreselected temperature range for driving off volatiles from windingmeans 21 of the cores and for craze and stress relief of the magnet wireof the winding means; however, while the cores are held generally atthat preselected preheat temperature from station S61 to station S90,they may be allowed to cool down somewhat within the preselected preheattemperature range from station S91 to station S110. For the latterpurpose, tunnel 195 may be slotted as indicated at 210 in FIG. 1B fordelivery of cooling air thereto.

There are ten stations, identified as stations S111-S120 in adhesiveapplication zone 115, of which S112-S119 (eight stations) are adhesiveapplication stations. As will appear, spindles 83 at the first fourapplication stations S112-S115, which may be referred to as the upstreamset of application stations, rotate in one direction (specificallycounterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1B), and the spindles at the nextfour stations S116-S119, which may be referred to as the downstream setof application stations, rotate in the reverse direction (specificallyclockwise as viewed in FIG. 1B). While spindles 83 are identified asbeing rotatable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions at specificstations for purposes of disclosure, it is contemplated that suchspindles may be rotated in either such direction at any one of suchstations or at more or less of such stations within the scope of theinvention so as to meet at least some of the objects thereof.

Spindles 83 at each side of conveyor means 71 exit from the respectiveadhesive application zone 115 and enter the respective reheating zone117. Of course, reheating zone 117 is also enclosed by an elongatechamber or tunnel corresponding to tunnel 195, and parts of each of thetunnels in the reheating zone corresponding to parts of the tunnel 195are assigned corresponding reference numerals. Reheating zone 117 startsbetween stations S120 and S121 and extends to a point between stationsS242 and S243. Cooling zone 119 is further enclosed by an elongatechamber or tunnel corresponding generally to tunnel 195, and parts ofthe cooling tunnel corresponding to parts of the tunnel 195 are assignedcorresponding reference numerals. As cores 23 on spindles 83 progressfrom station S121 to station S242 through reheating zone 117, they arebrought up to a preselected reheating temperature within theaforementioned preselected reheating range so as to effect the gellingand/or curing or hardening of the liquid adhesive material contained incores 23 and winding means 21 thereof, and it may be noted that thepreselected reheat temperature in one portion of the reheating zone maybe different than that in another portion thereof within the preselectedreheating temperature range. Cooling zone 119 starts at a point betweenstations S242 and S243 and extends through station S284. Theaforementioned cooling tunnel may be slotted as indicated at 210 forentry of cooling air. Ductwork for cooling air provided to the coolingtunnel and preheating tunnel is indicated at 211, and an exhaust systemfor the reheating tunnel is indicated at 213.

Means, as indicated generally at 215 in FIGS. 13 and 14, is provided forrotating spindles 83 in each preheating zone 113, adhesive applicationzone 115, reheating zone 117 and cooling zone 119, with reversals ofdirection of spindle rotation at certain points, more particularly atpoint Rl between stations S115 and S116 in each adhesive applicationzone 115, at point R2 between stations S128 and S129 in reheating zone117, at point R3 between stations S143 and S144 in reheating zone 117,and at point R4 between station S271 and S272 in the cooling zone. Itmay also be considered that there is a reversal between stations S247and S11. As herein illustrated, rotating means 215 is operable:

(a) continuously to drive all spindles 83 at stations S11 to S115 incounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1A, 1B and from the rightside of the apparatus, and also to drive them in this direction as theyare indexed from station S11 to station S115;

(b) continuously to drive all the spindles at stations S116 to S128 inclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1B and from the right side of theapparatus, and also to drive them in this direction as they are indexedfrom station S116 to station S128;

(c) continuously to drive all the spindles at stations S129 to S142 incounterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1B, from the right side ofthe apparatus, and also to drive them in this direction as they areindexed from station S129 to station S142;

(d) continuously to drive all the spindles at stations S143 to S271 inclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1A, 1B from the right side of theapparatus, and also to drive them in this direction as they are indexedfrom station S143 to station S271; and

(e) continuously to drive all the spindles at stations S272 to S283 inclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1A from the right side of theapparatus, and also to drive them in this direction as they are indexedfrom station S272 to S283.

There is no drive for spindles 83 at stations S284 and S1 to S10, andthey idle at these stations to facilitate the unloading and loading ofcores 23 from the spindles in loading and unloading zones 111, 121.

For effecting the rotation of spindles 83, each shaft 93 has a sprocket217 mounted or fastened to it at the center of its length midway betweenthe rollers 122, 123 (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). Spindle drive or rotationmeans 215 comprises a first drive chain 219 engaging sprockets 217 ofshafts 95 at stations S11 to S115 for driving them in counterclockwisedirection, a second drive chain 221 engaging the sprockets of the shaftsat stations S116 to S128 for driving them in clockwise direction, athird drive chain 223 engaging the sprockets of the shafts at stationsS129 to S143 for driving them in counterclockwise direction, a fourthdrive chain 225 engaging the sprockets of the shafts at stations S144 toS271 for driving them in clockwise direction as above noted, and a fifthdrive chain 227 engaging the sprockets at stations S272 to S283 fordriving them in counterclockwise direction. Each spindle chain 219-227is trained around suitable guide sprockets therefor such as indicated at299, and each such chain is driven in the appropriate direction by adrive sprocket therefor driven by a hydraulic motor, the drive sprocketsfor the respective chains being designated 219S-227S and the motors forthe respective chains being designated MA, MB, MC, MD, ME, as discussedhereinafter.

It will be observed particularly from FIG. 13 that spindle drive chains219, 225 have relatively long reaches engaging sprockets 217 on shafts93 of conveyor means 71 traveling continuously in the direction offorward movement of the conveyor means and that they thereby exert aforce for driving the conveyor means in addition to the force exerted byindexing drive means 130, 131 for the conveying means. It is believedthat this is advantageous in that it tends to reduce the force outputrequired of indexing drive means 130, 131. While the reaches of chains221, 223, 227 which engage sprockets 217 travel continuously in thedirection opposite to that of forward movement of conveyor means 71 andthus tend to impede the forward movement of the conveyor means, thesereaches are relatively short (compared to the relatively longer reachesof chains 219, 225 that engage sprockets 217) and thus are believed tohave a relatively minor adverse effect on conveyor indexing. Althoughspindle chain drives 219-227 have been illustrated herein to effect thespecified rotations of spindles 83 for purpose of disclosure, it iscontemplated that means other than such spindle chain drives may beemployed for effecting such specified rotation of the spindles withinthe scope of the invention so as to meet at least some of the objectsthereof.

It will also be observed that as conveyor means 71 is indexed forwardlythrough an indexing step between the preselected indexed positionsthereof, the forward motion of sprocket 217 on each of shafts 93 (i.e.,the translatory motion of the sprockets) affects the rate of rotation ofspindles 83, decrementing or incrementing them depending on thedirection in which the spindles are rotating relative to theintermittent motion of the chain upon the indexing thereof. Thus, aseach spindle 83 driven by the first, third and fifth chains 219, 223,227 is indexed forwardly, its rate of rotation tends to be decreased,and as each spindle driven by second and fourth chains 221, 225 isindexed forwardly, its rate of rotation tends to be increased. Foreffective treatment of the cores 23, however, it has been foundadvantageous that spindles 83 rotate at a generally constant rate atleast in preheating zone 113 to aid in achieving uniform heating and atleast in adhesive application zone 115 to aid in obtaining adequateapplication of the liquid adhesive material. It is not believednecessary to have a constant rate of rotation of spindles 83 throughreheating and cooling zones 117, 119; however, if desired, it iscontemplated that such constant rate of spindle rotation may be effectedthrough the reheating and/or cooling zones within the scope of theinvention so as to meet at least some of the objects thereof. Inaccordance with this invention, means, indicated generally at 231 inFIG. 23B, is provided for adjusting or changing chain speeds to maintainthe speed of rotation of shafts 93 and spindles 83 substantiallyconstant as they are indexed forwardly by chains 219, 221 and 223, andthis means is incorporated in hydraulic circuitry of the apparatus asdescribed in detail hereinafter.

Liquid adhesive material is applied or dispensed onto opposite end turngroupings 45, 47 of winding means 21 of cores 23 in application zone 115on each side of conveyor means 71 by adhesive applying means indicatedin its entirety by the reference numeral 233. Adhesive applying means223 on the B side of conveyor means 71 is identical to the one on the Aside thereof, but reversed, and a description of the one will sufficefor both. As shown in FIG. 15, adhesive applying means 233 comprises aplurality of sets of dispensing means, such as dispensers or spouts, onesuch set for each adhesive applying station S112-S119, and each such setcomprises an upper inner spout 235, a lower inner spout 237, an upperouter spout 239, and a lower outer spout 241. With eight adhesiveapplying stations S112-S119 at each A and B side of conveyor means 71,there are eight such spouts (four spouts per set) on each side and thuseight upper inner, eight lower inner, eight upper outer and eight lowerouter spouts at each side. Upper inner spouts 235 are mounted in a rowon a bar 243 carried by arms 245 pivoted as indicated at 247 on frame Fof apparatus 69 for swinging or pivotal movement on an axis extendinglongitudinally of the apparatus. Bar 243 is swingable or operated by ahydraulic cylinder 249 between a protracted or dispensing position inwhich it is shown in solid lines in FIG. 15 wherein the tip of each ofspouts 235 is positioned above the upper or outer annular part ofannular end turn grouping 47 of winding 21 on a core 23 on a spindle 83at the respective stations S112-S119 for dispensing or applying liquidadhesive material onto the top of the outer annular part of that endturn grouping and a retracted or at-rest position wherein the tip of thespout is to the left of that end turn grouping as viewed in FIG. 15.

Lower inner spouts 237 at each A and B side of conveyor means 71 aremounted in a row on a bar 251 carried by arm 253 pivoted as indicated at255 on frame F of apparatus 69 for swinging or pivotal movement on anaxis extending longitudinally of the apparatus. Bar 251 is swingable oroperated by a hydraulic cylinder 257 between a protracted or dispensingposition in which it is shown in solid lines in FIG. 15 wherein the tipof each of spouts 237 is positioned within end turn grouping 47 ofwindings 21 on a core 23 on a spindle 83 at the respective stationsS112-S119 above the lower or inner annular part of that end turngrouping for dispensing liquid adhesive material onto said inner annularpart of that end turn grouping, and a retracted or at-rest positionwherein the tip of the spout withdrawn from that end turn grouping(i.e., to the left of that end turn grouping as viewed in FIG. 15).

Upper outer spouts 239 and lower outer spouts 241 are mounted generallyin row formations, respectively, on a plurality of brackets 259 whichextend from a carriage 261 which is reciprocally movable or slidableinwardly and outwardly on a pair of guide rods 263 (see FIGS. 17 and 18)mounted to frame F of apparatus 69 between an protracted position inwhich it is shown in solid lines in FIG. 15 for dispensing liquidadhesive material and a retracted position as indicated in phantom atthe right in FIG. 15. In the protracted position of carriage 261 andspouts 239, 241, the tip of each upper spout 239 is positioned above theupper or outer annular part of an end turn grouping 45 of windings 21 ona core 23 on a spindle 83 at the respective stations S112-S119 fordispensing liquid adhesive material onto the top of the inner annularpart of that end turn grouping, and the tip of each lower outer spout241 is positioned within an inner annular part of that end turn groupingfor dispensing liquid adhesive material downwardly onto the innerannular part of that end turn grouping. Carriage 261 is movable inwardlyand outwardly by drive means, such as a power or hydraulic cylinder orthe like for instance, as indicated generally at 265. A ball screw 267is turnable in a nut 269 therefor carried on an arm 270 which isreciprocally or slidably movable on guide rods 263, and the hydrauliccylinder is mounted on arm 270. A reversible hydraulic motor 271 isconnected to drive ball screw 267 in one direction or the other by abelt drive 273 to adjust the positions of spouts 239, 241 thereby tocompensate for stack height variations which may occur with respect towhen various different cores are treated in apparatus 69.

Adhesive applying means 233 at each side of apparatus 69 includes means,indicated generally at 275 (see FIGS. 18-20), for delivering the liquidadhesive material from a supply thereof in a source or reservoir 276 tospouts 235, 237, 239, 241 of the adhesive applying means. Adhesivedelivery means 233 comprises a plurality of pump units 277, one for eachadhesive applying stations S112-S119 at the respective side of apparatus69, and each pump unit is operable to deliver preselected meteredvolumnes or doses of the liquid adhesive material from reservoir 276 tospouts 235, 237, 239, 241 at the respective adhesive applying stations.Each pump unit 277 comprises a plurality or set of pumps or pumpingmeans each designated 279, one for each of the four respective spouts.More particularly, each pump unit 277 comprises a block having aplurality or set of pump cylinders 281 each with a chamber or chambermeans 283 therein and a displacing means or pump plunger 285 slidable ineach cylinder within the chambers thereof (see FIGS. 21 and 22). Eachcylinder 281 has an inlet or compensation port intermediate its ends, asindicated at 287, interconnected in communication between chamber 283and reservoir 276 by a conduit, as indicated at 278, and an outlet port289 controlled by a one-way check valve 290 therein is provided at oneend of each cylinder constituting its outlet end. The arrangement issuch that on retraction of plunger or plunger means 285 away from outletport 289 of cylinder 283, toward its other or opposite end 291, chamber283 is primed with or receives liquid adhesive material from reservoir276 through conduit 278 and inlet port 287; and, on movement of theplunger toward the outlet port of the cylinder thereby to effect theclosing of the inlet ports by the plunger, a dose or charge of theliquid adhesive material is delivered through the outlet ports and checkvalve 290 therein, the preselected volume of the charge depending on thelength of the stroke of the plunger past the inlet port.

Means, indicated generally at 293, is provided for operating each of theeight pump units 277 on each side of apparatus 69 for delivery of theliquid adhesive material thereby through the respective four outlets 289and flexible delivery lines, each designated 295, to the spouts 235,237, 239, 241 at each adhesive applying station S112-S119 at which thereis a core 23 for treatment. As to any one of stations where there is nocore for treatment, the respective pump units remain idle. Pumpoperating means 293 comprises an actuating means, such as a cross-head297 constituted by an elongate relatively narrow plate or bar or thelike for instance, spanning all pump units 277 at the respective side ofthe apparatus adjacent ends 291 of the units. Cross-head 297 isreciprocally movable or slidable (in the direction at right angles toits length) on guide rods 299 toward and away from ends 291 of pumpunits 277 and is adapted to be driven one way and the other on the guiderods by means of a pair of ball screws 301, 303 respectively threaded ina pair of nuts 305 mounted in the cross-head. Screws 301, 303 areadapted to be driven in one direction for advancing cross-head 297 andin the opposite direction for retracting the cross-head by means of areversible hydraulic motor 307 direct-connected to screw 301 with a beltdrive 309 to screw 303. The four plungers 285 of each pump unit 277extend from ends 291 of the pump units through holes or openings 311 incross-head 297 and are secured at their outer ends as indicated at 313to a pusher 315 on the outside of the cross-head. Means, indicatedgenerally at 317, is provided for releasably latching or securing eachpusher 315 to cross-head 297 for movement therewith to effect operationof the respective four plungers 285, and releasably latching means 317comprise a latch pin 319 movable by a hydraulic cylinder 321 oncross-head 297 between a latching position extending into a recess 323in a latch block 325 on the pusher and a retracted position withdrawnfrom the recess. The arrangement is such that on movement of cross-head297 by motor 307 toward ends 291 of pump units 277, each pump plunger285 which has its pusher 315 latched to the cross-head is driven througha pumping stroke and then through a return stroke back to a retractedposition by the cross-head. Any pump unit 277 may be held out ofoperation during a stroke of cross-head 297 by unlatching the cross-headfrom the respective pusher 315 for the four plungers 285 of that unit.On such unlatching, cross-head 297 simply slides forwardly and backrelative to the stated four plungers without moving them.

The hydraulic cylinders and hydraulic motors above described areconnected in a hydraulic circuit, as shown in FIGS. 23A, 23B and 23C,which includes first and second hydraulic pumps 327, 329 driven byelectric motors 331, 333, respectively. Pump 327 delivers hydraulicfluid from a sump 335 via a line 337 including conventional flowcontrols (not numbered) to a main delivery line 339, with an accumulatoras indicated at 341. A solenoid valve V5 has an inlet connected asindicated at 345 to main delivery line 339, and an outlet for deliveryof oil to a line 347 including suitable flow control means and a backcheck valve. A plurality of branch lines each designated 349 and eachincluding a hydraulic motor 351 which connect line 347 to the head endsof indexing cylinders 135 through branch lines 349, respectively.Provision is made for venting the head ends of indexing cylinders 135 tosump 335 via a system including check valves 353 which normally holdpressure in branch lines 349 but which open in response to beingback-pressured for delivery of fluid to the sump as indicated at 355.Solenoid valve V5 has a transfer port in communication via a network oflines or conduits 357 with the rod ends of indexing cylinders 135.Solenoid valve V5 also has two solenoids V5A, V5B, and acts onenergization of solenoid V5A to deliver fluid to line 347 and thence viabranch lines 349 (including motors 351) to the head ends of indexingcylinders 135 for extending their piston rods 139 to index conveyormeans 71 forwardly, with accompanying venting of the transfer port andhence the line network 357 to sump 335 as indicated at 359, and onenergization of solenoid V5B to deliver fluid to line network 357 andthence to the rod ends of indexing cylinders 135 for retracting pistonrods 139 of these cylinders. For the retraction of piston rods 139, asolenoid valve V6 is energized to deliver fluid from main delivery line339 via a network of lines indicated at 361 to check valves 353 toback-pressure them for venting the head ends of the indexing cylinders.

Pump 329 delivers fluid from the sump 335 via a line 363 includingconventional flow controls (not numbered) to drive a hydraulic motor(not shown per se) which drives five hydraulic pumps designated PA, PB,PC, PD and PE for supplying fluid under pressure to motors MA, MB, MC,MD and ME for chain drives 219-227, respectively. A cross-connectionfrom line 363 to line 337 for supplying fluid from line 363 to theaccumulator is indicated at 365. Pumps PA-PE are connected to deliverfluid to motors MA-ME via lines 367A-367E and have outlets connected tothe sump as indicated at 335. The aforesaid chain control means 231comprises what may be called a flow divider means including a hydraulicpump 369 in a cross-connection 371 from line 367B to line 367A and ahydraulic pump 373 in a cross-connection 375 from line 367E to line367C. The aforesaid four hydraulic motors 351 have their shaftsinterconnected, as schematically diagrammed at 377 in FIG. 23B, by abelt for rotation of their shafts, and are connected to drive pumps 369,373, as indicated schematically at 379 in FIG. 23B, by means of a belt.The arrangement is such that, on indexing of conveyor means 71, theoperation of motors 351 during such indexing causes operation of pump369 to add fluid to the flow to motor MA and subtract fluid from theflow to motor MB and causes operation of pump 373 to add fluid to theflow of motor MC and subtract fluid from the flow to motor ME thereby tospeed up chains 219, 223 and slow down chains 221, 227 during suchindexing for maintaining the rate of rotation of the spindles 83 beingdriven by these chains generally constant, as previously mentioned.

As best seen in FIG. 23C, coupler-actuating cylinders 155 andlock-actuating cylinders 171 of units 133A and 133B for indexing means131 are connected in the hydraulic circuit under control of solenoidvalves Vl and V2, respectively. Similarly, coupler-actuating cylinders155 and lock-actuating cylinders 171 of units 133A, 133B for indexingmeans 130 are connected in the hydraulic circuit under control ofsolenoid valves V3 and V4, respectively. These valves are supplied withfluid from main line 339 as indicated at 381. Each has two solenoids, asindicated at V1A, V1B, V2A, V2B, V3A, V3B and V4A, V4B, for effectingoperation of the valves for the advance and retraction of couplers 151and locks 169, as previously discussed.

Referring again to FIG. 23B, cylinders 249, 257 of adhesive applyingmeans 233 on the A side of apparatus 69 are connected in the hydrauliccircuit under control of a solenoid valve V9 supplied with fluid fromthe main line 339 as indicated at 383 and having a part connected tosump 335 as indicated at 384. Cylinders 249, 257 of adhesive applyingmeans 233 on the B side of apparatus 64 are connected in the hydrauliccircuit under control of a solenoid valve V11 supplied with fluid fromthe main line as indicated at 385 and having a part connected to sump335 as indicated at 386. Hydraulic motor 271 of adhesive applying means233 on the A side is connected in the hydraulic circuit under control ofa solenoid valve V10 having solenoids V10A, V10B supplied with fluidfrom the main line as indicated at 387 and having a part connected tosump line 384. Hydraulic motor 271 of adhesive applying means 233 on theB side is connected in the hydraulic circuit under control of a solenoidvalve V12 having solenoids V12A, V12B supplied with fluid from the mainline as indicated at 389 and having a part connected to the sump line386.

As illustrated in FIG. 23A, the eight hydraulic cylinders 321 ofdispensing unit 275 on the A side of apparatus 69 are connected in thehydraulic circuit under control of solenoid valves V19-V26,respectively, supplied with fluid from the main line as indicated at 391and each having a part connected to sump 335 as indicated at 392. Theeight hydraulic cylinders 321 of dispensing unit 275 on the B side ofapparatus 69 are connected in the hydraulic circuit under control ofsolenoid valves V27-V34, respectively, supplied with fluid from the mainline as indicated at 391 and each having a part connected to the sump asindicated at 394. Hydraulic motor 307 for driving ball screws 301, 303of the dispensing unit 275 on the B side is connected in the hydrauliccircuit under control of a solenoid valve V13 supplied with fluid fromthe main line as indicated at 395 along with the cylinders 321 on the Bside and has a part connected to the sump as indicated at 397. Hydraulicmotor 307 for driving ball screws 301, 303 of dispensing unit 275 on theA side is connected in the hydraulic circuit under control of a solenoidvalve V14 supplied with fluid from the main line as indicated at 399along with cylinders 321 on the A side and has a part connected to thesump as indicated at 401.

Actuation of the valves V1-V34 of the hydraulic circuit is under controlof a programmable controller, preferably a GE Series Six programmablecontroller sold by the assignee of this invention, indicated at 403 inFIG. 23A. Associated with the controller 403 is a means indicated at 405for sensing if a core is loaded on a spindle 83. This means, asillustrated, may be a photosensor system comprising a lamp 407 directinga beam of light toward a photocell 409 at one of the stations, e.g.,station S8 in the loading zone 111, with the arrangement such that acore loaded on the spindle at that station interrupts the beam. Theinformation as to a core being loaded on a spindle as detected by thephotocell is transmitted as indicated at 410 to and stored in a 284-partshift register of the controller and shifted on each indexing movementof conveyor means 71 for a purpose that will appear. Controller 403controls the energization of infrared lamps 209 of apparatus 69 and isinterconnected with the valves V1-V34 by lines such as indicated at 411in FIG. 23A. Controller 403 is programmed for operation of apparatus 69as discussed hereinafter.

Valves V1-V5 are intermittently actuated to effect conjoint operation ofthe four conveyor index cylinders 135 of conveyor indexing means 130,131 to index conveyor means 71 forwardly the stated index distancebetween the preselected indexed positions thereof. Actuation of valvesV1, V3 effects operation of cylinders 171 to retract locks 169 forchains 87A, 87B of conveyor means 71. Actuation of valves V2, V4 effectsoperation of cylinders 155 to effect the coupling of couplers 151associated with carriages 145 to pins 91 of chains 87A, 87B. Actuationof valve V5 effects conjoint operation of cylinders 135 for indexingmeans 130, 131 to index conveyor means 71 forwardly. Upon completion ofthe forward indexing stroke of piston rods 139 of cylinders 135, valvesV1 and V3 are deactuated for the retraction of carriages 145 bycylinders 135, and valves V2 and V4 are deactuated for effecting lockingof chains 87A, 87B by chain locks 169. Controller 403 effects or timesthe indexing to occur at preselected intervals, and spindles 83 dwellfor a preselected period at the spindle dwell stations or indexedpositions S1-S284 thereof. Thus, the indexing of conveyor means 71 mayoccur at any preselected time interval, such as for instance at one andone-half minute intervals, during the operation of apparatus 69 whichallows for ample time of dwell of spindles 83 at unloading stationsS1-S4 for unloading and loading of cores 23 thereon, and for ample timeof dwell of the spindles at loading stations S5-S8 for chucking thecores thereon.

In the operation of apparatus 69, cores 23 are loaded on spindles 83 inloading zone 111 during the dwell of the spindles at their preselectedindexed positions therein. Cores 23 may be loaded on spindles on the Aside only of apparatus 69, or on spindles on the B side only, or onspindles on both the A and B sides, as desired. Loading of cores 23 maybe carried out at stations S5-S8, and such loading is effected by usingchucking means 85 which grips both the spindle 83 and the core therebyto grip the core on the spindle for rotation therewith. While both theloading and unloading of cores 23 with respect to spindles 83 isdiscussed herein as being manually accomplished for purposes ofdisclosure, it is contemplated that such loading and unloading may beaccomplished automatically through the use of suitable means, such asfor instance, automatic loading and unloading equipment or robots or thelike, within the scope of the invention so as to meet at least some ofthe objects thereof. Core 23 is axially located on spindle 83 byengagement of chucking means 85 (holding the core) against a stop collar411 (see FIG. 10) on the spindle; thus, all cores on the A side havetheir inner sides or end faces (inner in relation to the spindle) in acommon plane and all the cores on the B side have their inner sides orend faces in a common plane, these planes being appropriate to thelocation of the ends of the inner spouts 235, 237 at the adhesiveapplying stations S112-S119 in the operative position of the spouts.Thus, whatever the stack height of a core, its inner end face ispositioned for delivery of the liquid adhesive material onto windingmeans 21 thereof by inner spouts 235 and 237.

Considering a spindle 83 either on the A side or on the B side ofapparatus 69 starting at station S1 on the respective side thereof, suchspindle is indexed around through one circuit of its predeterminedcourse or path, dwelling for a preselected dwell interval or time periodat each of stations or preselected indexed positions S1-S284, thenreturning to station S1 and repeating the circuit. Treated cores areunloaded from spindles 83 at stations S1-S4, clearing the spindles forthe loading of other untreated cores at stations S5-S8. A core 23,loaded on a spindle 83 at any one of stations S5-S8, breaks the lightbeam at station S8 to supply information to the aforesaid shift registerin controller 403 that there is a core on that specific spindle, andsuch specific spindle with the core thereon then completes the circuit,dwelling at each of stations S9-S284 and returning to station S1.

Exiting from loading zone 111, a spindle 83 with a core 23 thereonenters tunnel 195 of preheating zone 113 (at the respective side A or B)and progresses from station to station with a dwell at each of stationsS11-S110 of the preheating zone. Spindle 83 starts rotating in theaforesaid counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 13,at station S11 and continues rotating in that direction throughpreheating zone 113 and continues on into adhesive applying zone 115 tostation S115. This counterclockwise rotation is effected by drive chain219 acting on sprockets 217 on spindle shafts 93, as discussed in detailhereinbefore. As core 23, rotating as described, progresses forwardlyfrom station S11 to station S60 and dwells at these stations, it isheated by infrared lamps 209 in this section of tunnel 195 to thepreselected preheat temperature for driving off volatiles from thewinding means of the core and for craze stress relief of the magnet wireof winding means 21. As cores 23 next progresses through stations S61and S90, it may be held generally at the preselected preheattemperature, and then as it progresses from station S91 to station S110,the core may be cooled to a somewhat lower preheat temperature but stillwithin the aforementioned preheat temperature range suitable for theapplication of the adhesive material thereonto, as discussed below.

Exiting from preheating zone 113, the spindle 83 under considerationwith preheated core 23 thereon enters adhesive applying zone 115. Aspreviously mentioned, cores 23 may be mounted or loaded onto everyspindle or those spindles as may be convenient. Assuming that thespindle 83 under consideration exiting from preheating zone 113 isindexed to station S112 and while it is rotating in the counterclockwisedirection at station S112, valve V9 for the A side and valve V11 for theB side are actuated to effect operation of cylinders 249 257 (on bothsides) to swing the inner upper and lower spouts 235, 237 out to theiroperative or applying positions, and valve V10 for the A side and valveV12 for the B side are actuated to operate motors 271 to move outerupper and lower spouts 239, 241 inwardly to their operative or applyingposition.

With the aforementioned spouts in their respective applying positionsfor delivery of liquid adhesive material to winding means 21 of cores 23at the adhesive applying stations of apparatus 69, controller 403effects operation of valves V13, V14 to actuate hydraulic motors 307 forthe A and B sides thereby to drive cross-heads 297 of adhesive applyingmeans 233 at each side in the direction for effecting a pumping strokeof pump plungers 285. In response to information received by controller403 from the aforesaid shift register that there is a core on thespindle 83 at station S112, e.g., on the A side, the controller effectsthe actuation of valve V19 thereby to actuate the respective cylinder321 to latch the four plungers 285 of the respective pump unit 277 tocross-head 297. As a result, these four plungers 285 are driven througha pumping stroke to deliver metered charged of the liquid adhesivematerial therefrom through flexible lines 295 to spouts 235, 237, 239,241 at the stated adhesive applying station S112. Following thisdelivery of the liquid adhesive material, valves V13, V14, V19 aredeactuated, cross-heads 297 are retracted for retraction of plungers 285and pumping of pump units 277, and valves V9-V12 are deactuated forretraction of spouts 235, 237, 239, 241. During the delivery ordispensing of the liquid adhesive material, spouts 235, 237, 239, 241are respectively disposed in predetermined positions with respect toopposite end turn groupings 45, 47 of winding means 21 on cores 23, aspreviously discussed. The spindle 83 under consideration carrying core23 is then indexed to adhesive applying station S114 where the corereceives a second treatment of liquid adhesive material in the samemanner as at station S112, the liquid adhesive material being deliveredto the four spouts at station S112 by the four plungers 285 of pump unit277 associated with station S112. At station S114, the treatment isagain with spindle 83 and core 23 rotating in the counterclockwisedirection, as at station S112.

The spindle 83 under consideration carrying core 23 is then indexed toadhesive applying station S116 where the core receives a third treatmentof the liquid adhesive material in the same manner as at stations S112,S114, except that here the core is rotating in a clockwise direction,opposite to that at stations S112, S114, i.e., clockwise as viewed inFIGS. 1B and 13. The liquid adhesive material is delivered to the fourspouts at station S116 by the four plungers 285 of pump unit 277associated with station S116. The spindle 83 under considerationcarrying core 23 is then indexed to adhesive applying station S118,where the core receives a fourth treatment of the liquid adhesivematerial in the same manner as at station S116, the liquid adhesivematerial being delivered to the four spouts at station S118 by the fourplungers 285 of pump unit 277 associated with station S118. At stationS118, the treatment is again with the core rotating in the seconddirection, as at station S116. While spindles 83 with cores 23 thereonare discussed as being rotated in opposite directions at the adhesiveapplying stations of apparatus 69 for purposes of disclosure, it iscontemplated that a fewer or greater number of such adhesive applyingstations may be employed with the rotation of such spindles and coresbeing in either of the clockwise or counterclockwise rotations at suchadhesive applying stations, as desired, within the scope of theinvention so as to meet at least some of the objects thereof.

As the spindle 83 under consideration carrying core 23 exits fromadhesive applying zone 115 with the core having been treated or havingreceived the liquid adhesive material, as discussed above, such spindleand core then progress through reheating zone 117. In reheating zone117, the treated cores are heated at a preselected reheat temperature ina solvent release section of this zone for driving off the solvent fromthe applied liquid adhesive material contained in winding means 21 ofcores 23 and to effect gelling of such applied liquid adhesive material,and thereafter in another heating section of this zone, the treatedcores are further heated for curing the applied adhesive material,resulting in the solidification or hardening thereof of the adhesive.Upon the hardening of the adhesive material in core 23, the coreprogresses from reheating zone 117 through cooling zone 119 where it iscooled so that it may be handled, and thence to unloading zone 121(stations S1-S4) where it is unloaded from the spindle 83 underconsideration so that the latter is prepared for being loaded for thenext circuit through apparatus 69 when it is indexed into loading zone111.

As previously noted, cores 23 may be loaded on all spindles 83 on eachof the A and B sides or only onto those spindles as convenient. When allspindles 83 are loaded once the spindles have made a complete circuitthrough apparatus 69, there will be cores on the spindles at each ofstations S8-S284, at any of stations S1-S4 where spindles have not yetbeen unloaded, and at any of stations S5-S7 where spindles have beenloaded. Thus, there will be cores 23 at each of the eight stationsS112-S119 on each side of apparatus 69 in adhesive applying zone 115,and the eight cores on each side will be simultaneously treated. When aspindle 83 is not loaded with a core 23, delivery of liquid adhesivematerial to the four stations where there are no cores on the spindle(e.g., stations S113, S115, S117 and S119) is inhibited or obviated byreason of the control effected by photosensor system 405 and theaforementioned shift register over controller 403 and the operation oflatch pins 319, inhibition being by way of pushers 315 related to theempty spindles and being unlatched from the cross-head 297, aspreviously discussed.

Referring particularly to FIG. 13, it will be observed that cores 23 onany spindles 83 at stations S11-S115 in preheating and applying zones113, 115 on each of sides A and B of apparatus 69 are continuouslyrotated in the counterclockwise direction by drive chain 219 in meshwith sprockets 217 on the shafts 83. Downstream from station S115, therotation of core S23 in the counterclockwise direction is terminated,and from station S116 through station S128, rotation of the cores is inthe clockwise direction by means of drive chain 221. Reversal ofrotation back to the counterclockwise direction occurs at station S129,and such rotation continues in the counterclockwise direction to stationS142 by means of drive chain 223. Further reversal of rotation to theclockwise direction occurs at station S143 and continues to station S271by means of drive chain 225. Thereafter, reversal back to thecounterclockwise direction occurs at station S272 and continues tostation S284 by means of drive chain 227. Spindles 83 are idle atstations S1-S10 for the above discussed unloading and loadingoperations.

Apparatus 69 is capable of handling cores 23 having different stackheights (i.e., different axial dimensions from end face to end face)within a preselected range of such stack heights. In this regard, it isto be noted, as pointed out above, that all cores 23 on each side ofapparatus 69 have their inner end faces generally in respective commonplanes, and thus the inner spout systems serve cores of all sizes withinthe preselected stack height range. Outer spouts 239, 241, however, needto be brought to different positions for cores of different stackheights, and this is effected by programming controller 403 to operatehydraulic motors 271 for an interval such as to drive arms 170 carryinghydraulic motor 265 to adjust its position and that of carriage 261 andthe outer spouts the distance necessary to bring the tips of the outerspouts to the respective applying positions with respect to the cores ofthe different stack heights undergoing treatment.

Pumps 279 function to meter a preselected amount of liquid adhesivematerial delivered to the spouts in accordance with the length of thepumping stroke of their plungers 285, and the stroke of the plungers isdetermined by the interval of operation of hydraulic motors 397 fordriving cross-heads 297 as programmed in controller 403.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. Asvarious changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:
 1. A method of operating apparatus adapted to treatwith a hardenable liquid adhesive material a plurality of cores eachhaving winding means with a pair of opposite end turn groupings,thereon, the apparatus including endless conveyor means for carrying aset of rotatable spindles through a plurality of preselected indexedpositions in a predetermined course of the endless conveyor means, aplurality of means operable generally for driving the endless conveyormeans, a plurality of means for dispensing the hardenable liquidadhesive material and arranged at some of the preselected indexedpositions, respectively, a source of the hardenable liquid adhesivematerial, and a plurality of means for pumping the hardenable liquidadhesive material to the dispensing means, each pumping means includingchamber means for receiving the hardenable liquid adhesive material fromthe source, and means reciprocally movable in the chamber means andoperable generally for displacing the hardenable liquid adhesivematerial from the chamber means, and a plurality of latching means forreleasably securing the displacing means with a means operable generallyfor actuating the displacing means, respectively, the method comprisingthe steps of:actuating a part of each driving means into couplingengagement with confronting parts on the endless conveyor means when thespindles are in their preselected indexed positions, respectively;operating the driving means conjointly and moving the driving meansgenerally in opposite directions to impart discrete intermittentmovements to the endless conveyor means through its predetermined courseonly when the driving means parts are coupled in engagement with theconfronting parts on the endless conveyor means, respectively; disposingthe cores on at least some of the spindles when the spindles are in someother s of the preselected indexed positions and advancing the spindlessuccessively through the preselected indexed positions in response tothe moving step, respectively; rotating some of the spindles in onedirection and some others of the spindles in another direction oppositethe one direction at least upon the advancement of the spindles into thesome preselected indexed positions and adjusting the rotational speedsof the spindles to maintain the rotational speeds of the spindlesgenerally constant and compensate for alterations in the rotationalspeeds of the spindles occuring in response to the discrete intermittentmovements of the endless conveyor means, respectively; moving thedispensing means from at-rest positions into predetermined locatedpositions generally adjacent the opposite end turn groupings of thewinding means of the cores disposed on the spindles at least upon thesuccessive advancement of the spindles into the some preselectedadvancement of the spindles into the some preselected indexed positions,respectively; operating the actuating means and driving at leastgenerally conjointly the displacing means within the chamber means ofthe pumping means, respectively; delivering the hardenable liquidadhesive material from the chamber means to the dispensing means intheir predetermined located positions in response to the driving stepand dispensing the hardenable liquid adhesive material from thedispensing means onto the opposite end turn groupings of the windingmeans of the cores disposed on the spindles at least when the spindlesare being rotated in the some preselected indexed positions,respectively; and interrupting the releasable securement of one of thelatching means with some of the displacing means when one of thespindles without a core disposed thereon is successively advanced intoone of the some preselected indexed positions and obviating thereby thedelivery of the hardenable liquid adhesive material to the dispensingmeans at the one of the some preselected indexed positions,respectively.
 2. A method of operating apparatus adapted to treat with ahardenable liquid adhesive material a plurality of cores each having awinding means with a pair of opposite end turn groupings thereon, theapparatus including an endless conveyor means operable generally forcarrying at least one set of spindles through a plurality of preselectedindexed positions arranged in a predetermined course of the endlessconveyor means, respectively, at least some of the spindles having acore disposed thereon, and some of the preselected indexed positions ofthe spindles being arranged within a liquid adhesive material dispensingsection extending along a part of the predetermined course of theendless conveyor means, the method comprising the steps of:operating theendless conveyor means with discrete intermittent movements through itspredetermined course and presenting thereby the spindles successively atthe preselected indexed positions thereof in the predetermined course ofthe endless conveyor means, respectively; and dispensing the liquidadhesive material onto at least one of the opposite end turn groupingsof the winding means of the core disposed on the spindles when thespindles are presented at at least the some preselected indexedpositions within the dispensing section and obviating the dispensing ofthe liquid adhesive material at one of the some preselected indexedpositions within the dispensing section when a spindle without a coredisposed thereon is presented to the any one of the some preselectedindexed positions within the dispensing section.
 3. The method as setforth in claim 2 wherein the dispensing and obviating step includesdispensing the liquid adhesive material onto the other of the oppositeend turn groupings at least generally simultaneously with the dispensingof the liquid adhesive material onto the at least one opposite end turngrouping.
 4. A method of operating apparatus adapted to treat with ahardenable liquid adhesive material a plurality of cores each having awinding means with a pair of opposite end turn groupings thereon, theapparatus including at least one set of means for carrying the coreswith the carrying means having a plurality of preselected indexedpositions, and a pair of sets of means arranged at some of thepreselected indexed positions of the carrying means and operablegenerally for dispensing the liquid adhesive material delivered thereto,respectively, the method comprising the steps of:disposing a core on atleast some of the carrying means and moving the carrying meanssuccessively through the preselected indexed positions thereof,respectively; and operating the dispensing means sets to dispense theliquid adhesive material delivered thereto onto the opposite end turngroupings of the winding means of the cores disposed on the carryingmeans upon the movement thereof into of the some preselected indexedpositions and obviating the operation of one of the dispensing meanssets at one of the some indexed positions upon the movement thereinto ofone of the carrying means without a core disposed thereon, respectively.5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the operating stepincludes rotating the carrying means in one direction at least when thecarrying means are in the some preselected indexed positions andreversing the rotation of the carrying means into another directionopposite the one direction least when the carrying means are in atanother one of the some preselected indexed positions.
 6. The method asset forth in claim 4 wherein the obviating step includes interruptingthe delivery of the liquid adhesive material to the any one dispensingmeans set respectively.
 7. The method as set, forth in claim 4 whereinthe moving step includes advancing the carrying means concurrently andwith discrete intermittent movements between the preselected indexedpositions respectively.
 8. The method as set forth in claim 4 whereinthe apparatus further includes an endless conveyor means supporting thecarrying means and operable generally for discrete intermittent movementthrough a predetermined course determining the preselected indexedpositions of the carrying means and wherein the moving step includesoperating the endless conveyor means with its discrete intermittentmovement through its predetermined course and effecting conjointdiscrete intermittent movement of the carrying means with the endlessconveyor means between the preselected indexed positions of the carryingmeans, respectively.
 9. The method as set forth in claim 4 furthercomprising the intermediate step of displacing the dispensing means setsfrom an at-rest position toward a dispensing position at the somepreselected indexed positions prior to the operating and obviatingsteps, respectively.
 10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein thedisplacing step includes pivoting at least some of the dispensing meansof the dispensing means sets between the at-rest and dispensingpositions thereof, respectively.
 11. A method of operating apparatusadapted to treat with a hardenable liquid adhesive material a pluralityof cores each having a winding means with a pair of opposite end turngroupings thereon, the apparatus including at least one set of spindleshaving a plurality of indexed positions with some of the indexedpositions being arranged within a liquid adhesive material dispensingsection of the apparatus, respectively, the method comprising the stepsof:disposing a core on at least some of the spindles and moving thespindles successively through the preselected indexed positions,respectively; and dispensing the liquid adhesive material onto at leastone of the opposite end turn grouping of the winding means of the coresdisposed on the spindles upon the movement thereof into the somepreselected indexed positions within the dispensing section andpreventing the dispensing of the liquid adhesive material at one of thesome preselected indexed positions within the dispensing section whenone of the spindles without a core disposed thereon is moved into theany one of the some preselected indexed positions within the dispensingsection, respectively.
 12. The method as set forth in claim 11 whereinthe apparatus further includes a plurality of means arranged at the somepreselected indexed positions within the dispensing section fordispensing the liquid adhesive material delivered thereto and whereinthe dispensing step includes associating generally in spaced relationthe dispensing means and the at least one opposite end turn groupingupon the movement thereof into some preselected indexed positions withinthe dispensing section and passing the liquid adhesive materialdelivered to the dispensing means therethrough, respectively.
 13. Themethod as set forth in claim 12 wherein the preventing step furtherincludes interrupting the delivery of the liquid adhesive material toone of the dispensing means the some preselected indexed positions uponthe movement thereinto of the one spindle without a core disposedthereon, respectively.
 14. A method of operating apparatus adapted totreat with a hardenable liquid adhesive material a plurality of coreseach having a winding means with a pair of opposite end turn groupingsthereon, the apparatus including at least one set of spindles having aplurality of preselected indexed positions, and a pair of sets of meansat some of the preselected indexed positions of the spindles andoperable generally for dispensing the liquid hardenable adhesivematerial delivered thereto, respectively, the method comprising thesteps of:disposing a core on at least some of the spindles and movingthe spindles successively through the preselected indexed positionsthereof, respectively; displacing the dispensing means sets generallyinto spaced relation with the opposite end turn groupings of the windingmeans associated with the cores disposed on the spindles at least uponthe movement thereof into the some preselected indexed positions,respectively; and operating the dispensing means sets to dispense theliquid hardenable adhesive material delivered thereto onto the oppositeend turn groupings of the winding means associated with the coresdisposed on the spindles when the spindles are in the some preselectedindexed positions and interrupting the delivery of the liquid hardenableadhesive material to any one of the dispensing means sets at one of thesome preselected indexed positions upon the movement thereinto of one ofthe spindles without a core disposed thereon, respectively.
 15. A methodof operating apparatus adapted toA treat with a hardenable liquidadhesive material a plurality of cores each having a winding means witha pair of opposite end turn groupings thereon, the apparatus includingat least one set of means adapted for carrying the cores and with thecarrying means having a plurality of preselected indexed positions, aset of dispensing means for the liquid adhesive material and disposed atsome of the preselected indexed positions, and a set of pumping meansoperable generally for delivering the liquid adhesive material throughthe dispensing means, respectively, the method comprising the steps of:disposing the cores on at least some of the carrying means and movingthe carrying means through the preselected indexed positions thereof,respectively; disposing at least one of the opposite end turn groupingsof the winding means of the cores disposed on the carrying means inspaced relation with the dispensing means upon the movement of thecarrying means into the some preselected indexed positions and operatingthe pumping means to effect the delivery of the liquid adhesive materialthrough the dispensing means onto the at least one opposite end turngrouping of the winding means of the cores when the carrying means arein the some preselected indexed positions, respectively; and disablingone of the pumping means to obviate the delivery of hardenable adhesivematerial through one of the dispensing means at one of the somepreselected indexed positions at least upon the movement thereinto ofone of the carrying means without a core disposed thereon.
 16. A methodof operating apparatus adapted to deliver a preselected volume of ahardenable liquid adhesive material from a set of means for pumping thehardenable liquid adhesive material to a set of means for dispensing thehardenable liquid adhesive material, each pumping means includingchamber means for the hardenable liquid adhesive material, and meansreciprocally movable in the chamber means and operable generally fordisplacing the preselected volume of the hardenable liquid adhesivematerial from the chamber means, and latching means for releasablysecuring the displacing means to a means operable generally for drivingthe displacing means, respectively, the method comprising the stepsof:operating the driving means and driving at least generally conjointlythe displacing means within the chamber means of the pumping means,respectively; delivering the preselected volume of the hardenable liquidadhesive material from the chamber means of the pumping means to thedispensing means in response to the driving step, respectively; andinterrupting the releasable securement of the latching means with thedriving means and the displacing means in response to the occurrence ofa preselected condition and obviating the operation of the displacingmeans.
 17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the apparatusincludes at least one set of means for carrying a workpiece through aplurality of preselected indexed positions of the apparatus and whereinthe method further comprises the preliminary step of loading one of theworkpieces onto at least some of the carrying means and moving thecarrying means through the preselected indexed positions with theworkpiece on the carrying means being associated with the dispensingmeans at some of the preselected indexed positions for receiving theliquid adhesive material dispensed from the dispensing means,Respectively.
 18. THe method as set forth in claim 17 wherein thepreselected condition of the interrupting step occurs upon the movementof one of the carrying means without a workpiece disposed thereon intoone of the some preselected indexed positions.
 19. A method of operatingapparatus having an endless conveyor means for carrying a plurality ofspindles rotatably associated with the endless conveyor means through aplurality of preselected indexed positions in a predetermined course ofthe endless conveyor means, respectively, the method comprising thesteps of:driving the endless conveyor means with discrete intermittentmovements through its predetermined course and advancing the spindlessuccessively between the preselected indexed positions in thepredetermined course of the endless conveyor means, respectively; androtating some of the spindles in one direction and some others of thespindles in another direction opposite the one direction in at least onesection of the predetermined course of the endless conveyor means duringthe advancing step and adjusting the rotational speeds of the somespindles and the some other spindles to maintain the rotational speedsthereof at least generally constant thereby to compensate foralterations in the rotational speeds of the some spindles and the someother spindles occuring in response to the discrete intermittentmovements of the endless conveyor means, respectively.
 20. The method asset forth in claim 19 wherein the rotating and adjusting step includesincreasing the rotational speed of one of the some spindles and the someother spindles and decreasing the rotational speed of the other of thesome spindles and the some other spindles, respectively.
 21. THe methodas set forth in claim 19 wherein the rotating and adjusting stepincludes effecting at least generally concurrently the adjustment of therotational speeds of the some spindles and the some other spindles. 22.A method of operating apparatus including an endless conveyor meansadapted for discrete intermittent movements between a plurality ofpreselected indexed positions in a predetermined course therefor, atleast one driving means for operation between a pair of preselectedpositions, and at least one locking means for the endless conveyormeans, the method comprising the steps of:actuating a part of the atleast one driving means when it is in one of the preselected positionsthereof and engaging the at least one driving means part with aconfronting part of the endless conveyor means when it is in one of thepreselected indexed positions thereof; operating the at least onedriving means from the one preselected position toward the other of thepreselected positions thereof when the at least one driving means partis engaged with the confronting part of the endless conveyor means andeffecting thereby the discrete intermittent movement of the endlessconveyor means from the one preselected indexed position toward asuccessive one of the preselected indexed positions thereof; andactuating the at least one locking means and moving at least a part ofthe at least one locking means into locking engagement with anotherconfronting part of the endless conveyor means when the endless conveyormeans is in its successive one preselected indexed position and the atleast one driving means is in its other preselected position with the atleast one driving means part engaged with the first named confrontingpart of the endless conveyor means.
 23. The method as set forth in claim22 comprising the additional step of releasing the engagement of the atleast one driving means part with the first named confronting part ofthe endless conveyor means and maintaining the locking engagement of theat least part of the at least one locking means with the anotherconfronting part of the endless conveyor means when the endless conveyormeans is in its successive one preselected indexed position and the atleast one driving means is in its other preselected position.
 24. Themethod as set forth in claim 23 comprising the further additional stepof returning the at least one driving means from the other preselectedposition toward the one preselected position thereof and reactuating theat least one driving means part into engagement with a third confrontingpart of the endless conveyor means when the endless conveyor means is inits successive one preselected position and the at least one drivingmeans is in its one preselected position.
 25. The method as set forth inclaim 24 comprising the still further additional step of releasing theengagement of the at least part of the at least one locking means withthe another confronting part of the endless conveyor means upon thereactuation of the at least one driving means part into engagement withthe third confronting part of the endless conveyor means and repeatingthe operation of the at least one driving means from the one preselectedposition toward the other preselected position thereof thereby tofurther effect the discrete intermittent movement of the endlessconveyor means from the successive one preselected indexed positiontoward another successive preselected indexed position thereof.